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Toto Wolff Reveals High Stakes Pressure on Kimi Antonelli in Turbulent F1 Debut Season

Publisher by Publisher
August 29, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
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Toto Wolff Reveals High Stakes Pressure on Kimi Antonelli in Turbulent F1 Debut Season

Formula One F1 - Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary - August 2, 2025 Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli during practice REUTERS/Marton Monus

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Toto Wolff Breaks Silence: Is Mercedes Pushing Kimi Antonelli Too Far in F1?

In a dramatic admission, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that the pressure on young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli during his inaugural Formula 1 season is “maximum.” This high-stakes environment for the 19-year-old racer has been a rollercoaster ride, filled with both exhilarating highs and crushing lows. After achieving a stunning podium finish and sprint race pole in 2025, Antonelli’s fortunes have taken a downturn, with just a single point scored since the celebrated Montreal race.

The talented rookie’s struggles are not solely due to the unreliability of his Mercedes W16. A string of self-inflicted mishaps—a qualifying crash in Monaco, an early collision with reigning champion Max Verstappen in Austria, and a series of challenging qualifying sessions—have contributed to his rocky path. The situation worsened during FP1 at the Dutch Grand Prix when Antonelli found himself stuck in the gravel after losing control at Turn 9, an incident that left fans and critics questioning his readiness for the elite sport.

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Reflecting on the team’s strategy, Wolff acknowledged that introducing Antonelli to the spotlight at last year’s Monza FP1 session may have been a misstep. The young driver crashed out on his second flying lap, an event that could have been a confidence booster had he completed the lap successfully. “I think we have put Kimi under maximum pressure, to be honest,” Wolff stated, expressing regret over the decision. “It was a great idea to have him in FP1 in Monza, but that may have been a mistake.”

Wolff emphasized that Antonelli’s visibility in a Mercedes, paired with the exceptional performance of his teammate, creates a magnifying glass effect that heightens expectations. Despite the setbacks, the team is committed to Antonelli’s development. “The team will just continue to believe in him,” Wolff affirmed. “He needs time; we’ve embarked on this route. You can question if it was right to place him in such a high-pressure role, but we are fully on this mission.”

Looking ahead, Wolff confirmed that Antonelli is expected to remain with the Mercedes squad in 2026. As the team navigates contract negotiations with both Antonelli and teammate George Russell, the future seems to be a mix of promise and uncertainty. Additionally, with reserve driver Valtteri Bottas set to depart for a Cadillac deal in 2026, Wolff acknowledged the challenge of finding a suitable replacement, stressing, “It’s super difficult to replace Valtteri—he ticks all the boxes.”

As the F1 season unfolds, all eyes will be on Antonelli to see if he can rise to the occasion and prove that he is indeed a long-term investment for the Silver Arrows. The pressure is on, but will he deliver? Only time will tell if this young star can shine amid the intense scrutiny of Formula 1.

Tags: 1958-formula-1-seasonAndrea Kimi Antonelligeorge-russellsjamarr-chases-mercedes-maybachmax-verstappen-en
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